Contents

Overview

The snakes vary greatly in size, body mass and species, from small enough to hide in one's sleeves to larger than buildings, and thin enough to be used to tie someone's hands[1] to strong enough to choke a colossal animal like the Island Turtle.[2] Although common snakes cannot speak human language like toads, some of their summoners could communicate with them. They are able to detect live beings by their heat and smell in order to track and lead their summoners to their prey.[3][4]

Manda II, the genetically-enhanced clone of Manda.

Orochimaru frequently summons snakes in battle, either having them attack for him or instructing them to carry out other tasks. While most snakes are very obedient and do as they are instructed, the largest snake, Manda, demanded a sacrifice of a hundred humans in exchange for helping Orochimaru.

Summoners

Orochimaru is heavily associated with snakes: his personality, appearance and even name are snake-like or orientated. After many experiments and forbidden techniques, Orochimaru's true form indeed became that of a snake. Orochimaru was also able to use senjutsu, and with this knowledge he developed the cursed seals.

The first of Orochimaru's students to sign a contract with snakes, as well as the first to gain the cursed seal and survived. Anko learned several forbidden and snake-related techniques with Orochimaru, such as the Twin Snakes Mutual Death Technique. In the anime, it was also stated that she had built up an immunity to venom.[11]

Sasuke mainly used the snakes he summoned as shields to defend himself. After Orochimaru and the Cursed Seal of Heaven were removed from him during his fight with Itachi, Sasuke has not been seen summoning any snakes and has since then gained a contract with a hawk.

At first, Kabuto only aided Orochimaru in summoning snakes while his arms were disabled. He later began to summon snakes on his own after implanting Orochimaru's remains into himself. Kabuto continued Orochimaru's research and discovered the Ryūchi Cave, where he learned senjutsu from the White Snake Sage. He gained access to a Sage Mode which, according to him, allowed him to figuratively transcend from a snake into a "dragon".

Snakes have long since been associated with dragons: a testament to this, after entering Sage Mode, Kabuto stated that he had evolved from being a simple snake into a dragon.[13] Orochimaru's Eight Branches Technique is also described as ascending beyond snakes, becoming a dragon god.[14]